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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are now reportedly ‘ready to spend’ to bring Aaron Ramsey to Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Midfield targeted

Given that the likes of Florian Wirtz and James Ward-Prowse have been linked with a move to St. James’ Park over the last few days, it is clear that the new owners are looking to strengthen the midfield position.

New players will certainly need to be brought in in the January transfer window, given that the North East club are currently in a relegation battle, sitting in 19th spot in the Premier League table before today’s round of fixtures.

The Latest: Ramsey ‘courted’

As per Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Ramsey is being ‘courted’ by the Tyneside outfit ahead of a potential move.

PIF are now ‘ready to spend’ on the Juventus midfield player, despite his €14m (£11.8m) yearly wages.

They are ‘not scared’ to pay his salary, and the Old Lady are ‘keen’ to get them off of their books, meaning that a move back to the top flight, and more specifically the Magpies, is now possible.

The Verdict: Avoid

While money is no object to the new owners, Ramsey is a player that they should be avoiding.

Even if they are willing to pay his astronomical wages, it would lead to other players in the squad wanting their pay package to go up, which could leave them in a sticky situation.

Wales international teammate Joe Allen claims that he can be ‘world-class’ on his day, and that is true, given his goals and assists record throughout his club career, but he is 30 years of age now, and has been suffering with injury problems as of late.

Nonetheless, the Toon already have plenty of midfield options in the squad already, and thus should be focusing on strengthening other areas of the pitch first of all, and certainly not splashing out big wages on an injury-prone player in his thirties.

In other news, find out who NUFC have been ‘alerted’ to the possibility of signing in January here!

Rumoured Liverpool transfer target Aurelien Tchouameni is wanted by two unnamed Premier League clubs, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Tchouameni a huge talent

The 22-year-old has emerged as arguably one of the best young midfielders in the world, performing with quality and maturity beyond his years.

Tchouameni has made 25 starts for Monaco in Ligue 1 this season, winning 2.4 aerial duels per game and also being described as ‘extraordinary’ by international colleague Paul Pogba.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the Frenchman, and Romano has now shed new light on the player’s transfer status.

The Latest: Romano provides update on Tchouameni

Taking to Twitter over the weekend, Romano confirmed that a couple of Premier League clubs want to sign Tchouameni, along with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. He revealed:

“Aurelien Tchouameni’s agent has denied to Le Parisien any agreement on personal terms with Real Madrid.

“Real are following Tchouameni’s performances with Monaco since long time alongside two Premier League clubs and PSG but there’s nothing agreed with any club.”

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The Verdict: Wonderful potential signing

Tchouameni looks like a spectacular talent, mastering a deeper-lying midfield role and already proving to be such a key player for Monaco, ranking as by far their best performer according to WhoScored metrics.

With some of Liverpool’s midfielders now in their 30s – the likes of Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are close to that milestone, too – the 22-year-old could be an ideal summer addition, capable of playing in a defensive or central midfield role.

Not only does Tchouameni average an eye-catching 2.6 tackles and interceptions apiece per match this season, he also averaged a 90.9% pass completion rate across five appearances for France in World Cup qualifying, demonstrating that he is a midfielder of many talents.

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly eyeing up a move for a former Premier League midfielder. Read more here.

A number of Rangers supporters have been overjoyed by Leon Balogun’s performance in the 1-0 victory over Celtic.

The first Old Firm derby of the season took place at Ibrox on Sunday lunchtime as the two bitter rivals locked horns and battled for local bragging rights.

Rangers sat sixth in the Scottish Premiership table before the game – one place below Celtic but level on six points from three games – so it was clearly a key early match in the title race.

The opening 45 minutes failed to produce much quality, although Odsonne Edouard missed a sitter for the visitors and Ryan Kent hit the post at the other end.

The match came alive when Filip Helander headed Steven Gerrard’s side in front midway through the second half thanks to a delightful corner from Borna Barisic.

Rangers fans praise Balogun after superb performance

Balogun was exceptional in the absence of James Tavernier at right-back and these Rangers fans took to Twitter to laud his display.

“Kyogo is in Balogun’s pocket”

Credit:@CHLEE_RangersFC

“Balogun been terrific so far”

Credit: @adamski152

“Balogun though. He’s on top form”

Credit: @FionaWilsonx

“Whatever we’ve fed Balogun today, keep doing it”

Credit: @Inheritant

“Balogun Man of the Match. Been solid”

Credit: @ScottForrrester

“Take a bow Balogun. What a performance”

Credit: @stepie1690

In other news, some Rangers have fumed at a Rangers star for one key reason. Find out who it is here.

Loads of Everton fans have been left gushing as some early team news has emerged ahead of their game at home to Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match at Goodison Park in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez has now revealed that Jordan Pickford is ‘okay’ and ‘has been training’, meaning that he could well return in between the posts against the Canaries.

It has come as a big relief for the Merseyside club to have their number-one goalkeeper back, especially after the disappointment that Asmir Begovic had in the Carabao Cup loss to Queens Park Rangers, in which he failed to save any of the seven penalties that he faced in the shootout (Sky Sports).

Everton fans on Pickford news

These Toffees supporters gushed as the early team news involving Pickford was shared by the club on their official Twitter page, with one Blue even going as far as to claim that it is ‘huge’:

“SEND THEM IN GET THE RAVE ON”

Credit: @Conor_LaneSmith

“Thank the lord we don’t have to see Begovic again”

Credit: @efcdoyley

“Pickford being back is huge”

Credit: @JDGEFC

“Relieved about Digne, and great to hear Pickford is back, gives us a bit more confidence going into this winnable game”

Credit: @daveblueallover

“No Begovic yessss”

Credit: @ShaunJackson015

“No Casper the ghost yes now”

Credit: @bobmarl03974950

In other news, find out what stadium news has Evertonians fuming here!

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison’s inconsistent form has been affected by a recent rib injury, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Harrison struggling for form

While deprived of several important players through injury, the Whites still couldn’t get their second Premier League win of the season on Saturday but their 1-1 draw at home to Wolves felt like a positive following Rodrigo’s last-gasp penalty.

Harrison struggled to make an impact at Elland Road, though, and he has now played seven league games this season and not registered a goal or an assist.

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The Latest: Hay reveals injury news

While the winger’s form has been disappointing compared to last season, when he got eight top-flight goals and assists apiece, there could be a good reason for the drop-off.

According to The Athletic’s Hay, the 24-year-old has been playing with a rib injury which has affected his performance level. The journalist stated: “Harrison has had a rib injury recently. Very little been made of it and I don’t know how much of a factor it is but he is struggling for form.”

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The Verdict: Pressure to perform

Harrison now finds himself under more pressure than ever to keep his place, with Raphinha and Dan James also representing strong wide options.

Last season, he and Raphinha were the undisputed go-to starters in those positions, but the Welshman’s arrival from Manchester United has increased the competition significantly.

All three actually played against Wolves, but Marcelo Bielsa may not always be that bold and Harrison will need to improve if he wants to keep starting regularly. Hopefully he overcomes his current injury and produces his best form again in the near future. Leeds could certainly do with it right now.

In other news, one Leeds player has given a key update on his injury progress. Read more here.

This transfer window has been close to perfection from Ange Postecoglou and Celtic.

It means a strong contrast to last summer where excluding David Turnbull, the Hoops got the vast portion of their business in the market completely wrong.

Celtic have spent better this year, however, and their recent performances show as much.

What’s the word?

One thing Celtic have been able to do so far this summer is to keep hold of some of their more important players.

Kristoffer Ajer did get swept up by the jaws of the Premier League but Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie are still at Parkhead despite speculation surrounding their future.

Edouard came close to joining Leicester City earlier this year but a move fell through after the Foxes preferred a swoop for Patson Daka instead.

The Frenchman’s wage demands are proving to be an issue but a ten-word update courtesy of the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano spawned another problem.

He took to Twitter this weekend to say: “No bid from Crystal Palace for Edouard as of now.”

Concerning news

Keeping Edouard at Parkhead looked like the most important piece of business Celtic would do all summer when the market opened.

However, a number of circumstances now dictate that losing him wouldn’t be such a bad piece of news.

After all, fans would surely be concerned if the striker departed in a year’s time on a free transfer when they could have received upward of £15m for their star man.

Edouard remains the club’s record signing when they paid a whopping £9m for the forward back in 2018. Losing so much on a player would be disastrous for Celtic, a club that aren’t exactly swimming in cash.

His wage demands appear to be pricing him out of a move and there seems to be a huge degree of difference in how much the player rates himself compared to those who actually want to sign him.

Selling Edouard for a decent price will also have allowed Celtic to strengthen deeper throughout the squad.

Kyogo Furuhashi has already proven that his loss won’t be as bad as first feared. The Japanese forward has six goals in seven outings and looks like an outstanding capture.

The potential arrival of Giorgos Giakoumakis would surely be less likely to happen if the Frenchman doesn’t pack his bags in the coming week too.

The Greek scored 29 goals last term, a tally that Edouard has never managed to replicate. It’s worth bearing in mind that Giakoumakis found those strikes in a better division than the Premiership too.

If Postecoglou isn’t able to shift the bullish attacker in the remaining days of the window, it should come as a cause for concern. For all parties, they need to come to an agreement as soon as possible.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops new claim on £12k-p/w “laughing stock”, Celtic fans will be fuming…

According to a fresh report by Alasdair Gold of football.london, Tottenham have made contact with the representatives of Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard over a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Lingard’s transfer saga

Lingard has been at the helm of a hectic transfer saga that began in the summer window. The 29-year-old shocked the footballing world with an electric run of form after joining West Ham on loan in last year’s January window. During his short stint with the Hammers, the attacking midfielder proved to be emphatic in the final third, scoring nine goals and producing five assists in just 16 appearances for David Moyes’ side.

Now, with Lingard’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2022, a number of Premier League teams are interested in the Man United playmaker. This includes Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, but more prominently West Ham, who are reportedly preparing to table a bid for the player in the near future.

It is claimed that Moyes is hoping that United will be prepared to accept a cut price of around £10million in January, rather than losing him on a free in the summer.

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The Latest: Spurs make contact over Lingard

According to reports by Alasdair Gold of football.london, Tottenham have now made contact with Lingard’s camp, as the reliable reporter shared the latest on Twitter: “Understand Spurs have sounded out Jesse Lingard’s camp about a potential move to north London.”

Spurs have apparently enquired about a summer switch, but there is a possibility that the club could consider a move for the player in the current January window.

This news comes amid Ajax’s interest in Steven Bergwijn. After rejecting a £15million bid for the winger, Spurs have begun to look for alternative options elsewhere, with the expectation that the Dutchman will leave the club in the current window.

The Verdict: Could prove to be a shrewd signing

Following on from his loan spell at West Ham, it is evident that Lingard would be able to arrive at Tottenham and make an instant impact – talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham hailed him as the ‘best player in the Premier League’ at the height of his incredible spell of form in east London.

Manchester United legend Michael Carrick has labelled Lingard’s playing style as ‘unique’ and ‘dynamic’, describing the way that it is ‘difficult to defend against’ the Englishman’s speed and directness.

When previously linked with Everton, Kevin Phillips described a potential Lingard transfer as a ‘no-brainer’, and that is true for the Lilywhites too, who have missed getting goals from midfield since the departure of Christian Eriksen.

If Lingard is able to replicate the form he produced at West Ham, the midfielder could prove to be a very shrewd signing for Antonio Conte, reducing the reliance on Son Heung-min and Harry Kane to be in absolute top goalscoring form week in week out.

In other news, one Tottenham youngster could be on his way out of the club this month…

Ryan Fraser has been a positive influence and mainstay under Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, which is why the hamstring injury he sustained against Wolves last week will come as a major blow to the Magpies faithful.

On the Scotsman’s injury, Howe said: “It looks like a hamstring issue. I don’t know how serious it is, but it was obviously enough to bring him off the pitch today, which is a huge blow with the form that he’s been in.”

Opportunity knocks for Almiron

Fortunately for the Magpies boss, he can now count upon Miguel Almiron, who came on in place of the injured Fraser and put in an impressive performance last Friday, having created the only key chance of the game in his 77 minutes on the pitch.

The 28-year-old – who has been described as “unbelievable” by sports writer Charlie Bennett – received even higher praise from his manager, who was encouraged by his efforts against the Old Gold.

On the Paraguayan’s performance, Howe said: “I thought Miggy did really well. Miggy has been away on international duty, then he was ill, so we haven’t seen a great deal of him. But never doubt him physically. Despite the fact that he hasn’t trained with us a great deal, I backed him physically to play that time, and the energy and pressing that Miggy gives you is a real weapon.”

High praise from the boss, but in fairness everything that Howe said is the truth. In terms of a pressing asset, Almiron has proven himself to be one of the best amongst positionally similar players in Europe’s top 5 leagues across the last 365 days. His average of 5.3 pressures in the attacking third per 90 place him in the 94th percentile, according to FBRef.

Perhaps even more impressively given his position on the pitch, his average of eight pressures in the defensive third places him in the 84th percentile, as he occupies an attacking position and tracks back tremendously. It demonstrates his versatility and ability to act as a team player, which is of course a welcome attribute for any coach.

The £74k-p/w Paraguayan’s 2.5 touches per game in the opponents’ penalty box once again sets him apart and further demonstrates his ability to fill the void left by Fraser.

The injury to the Scotland international is of course unfortunate, but Newcastle’s depth in that area of the pitch with the likes of Almiron to call upon has softened the blow. It’s now time for Howe to place his trust in the industrious 28-year-old.

In other news – Howe could land NUFC’s new Waddle as PIF plot bid for “unbelievable” 115-goal machine

Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Everton centre-back Yerry Mina in January, with the defender reportedly available for £17m.

What’s the story?

The Magpies are likely to invest in January after the completion of their Saudi-backed takeover and will be looking for reinforcements to help push their survival bid.

Eddie Howe’s side are currently 19th in the Premier League, having won just one of their 15 top-flight games this term. However, that win came in their most recent match against Burnley and they will look to make themselves a more attractive proposition over the coming weeks before the transfer window opens.

They certainly need additions in the defensive department, conceding 30 league goals already this term, the third-highest tally in the top flight, and a swoop for Mina could be shrewd business.

According to a report from Jeunes Footeux, the Toffees will allow the defender to leave Goodison Park in January should their €20m (£17m) asking price be met. Mina is also entering the final 18 months of his contract, meaning that an imminent sale would be preferred by the Merseyside club.

The Colombian has been limited to just seven league appearances under Rafael Benitez so far this season, although an ongoing thigh problem has been a major reason for his absence. Mina returned to action on Monday night in Everton’s 2-1 win over Arsenal after two months out of the team, although the 27-year-old only managed 31 minutes as he had to be withdrawn.

According to SofaScore, the £120k-p/w defender has averaged a 78% pass accuracy and 3.4 clearances per game this season, compared to the 66% pass accuracy and 3.7 clearances per game of Fabian Schär.

It appears that Mina is certainly popular with many associated with Everton, in particular teammate Richarlison, who claimed that the Colombian is the club’s “best defender”. Furthermore, former Everton defender Michael Ball claimed earlier this season that “when he’s fit, he’s a monster.”

The 27-year-old has shown that he poses a threat in the air, frequently netting with headers and winning at least 2.7 aerial duels per game in every season since moving to Merseyside. Such traits are reminiscent of former Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini, who was renowned for being ‘strong in the air’ during his time on Tyneside.

With Transfermarkt currently valuing Mina at £18m, it could prove a sensible deal for the Magpies if PIF can land a new version of former Magpies and Argentina defender Coloccini. At 6 foot 5, the Colombian is certainly a physical presence and would come to St James’ Park with plenty of Premier League experience, having made 73 appearances in the English top flight.

In other news: Howe drops four-word injury update which will leave Newcastle fans buzzing

Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to cash in on Adama Traore in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Jeff Shi could finally be willing to part ways with the 25-year-old this winter, amid interest from both Liverpool and Barcelona.

The report goes on to state that, despite Wolves having opened contract talks with the winger back in 2019, the two parties are still no closer to agreeing terms regarding a new deal, something which caused issues under the previous management of Nuno Espirito Santo, and is once again beginning to under the leadership of Bruno Lage.

Finally, it is claimed that, although Liverpool are keen to do a deal for the Spain international this winter, Jurgen Klopp’s side value Traore at less than £30m – a figure which Shi does not want to drop below.

He’s becoming a liability

While it is undeniable that Traore is an exceptionally gifted player, not to mention an integral part of the way Wolves play their football under Bruno Lage, the fact that the 25-year-old’s contract talks are once again causing problems at Molineux appear to lead to one conclusion – the winger is becoming a liability.

As previously mentioned, the Spaniard’s ability is not in question, having averaged a SofaScore match rating of 7.27 over 37 Premier League appearances in 2019/20, a rating of 7.03 over 37 league fixtures in 2020/21 and a score of 7.17 over his ten top-flight games so far this season – ranking him as Wolves’ best, third-best and best performer in each respective campaign.

However, with 90min claiming that as a result of the stalemate in his contract negotiations, Lage is now less inclined to start Traore in the league, the question must be asked as to whether it is worthwhile keeping hold of a player who is valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, as well one who is currently picking up a sizeable £43k-per-week, if he is only going to warm the bench for Wolves.

As such, while it would usually be a rather strange suggestion considering his overall level of performance for the club, Shi must axe Traore this January, as it would very much appear as if the breakdown in relationship between the player who Graeme Souness dubbed a “near miss” and the club is now beyond the point of no return.

In other news: Wolves handed big injury boost ahead of West Ham clash, Bruno Lage will be buzzing